As wireless networks evolve and grow, there are ongoing challenges in providing high-quality service to increasing numbers of wireless devices or user equipment (UE) in various coverage areas of a wireless network. One approach to improving service quality and coverage is to designate a wireless device as a relay node or relay UE for relaying communication between a base station or access node (donor access node), and an end-user wireless device. Relay wireless devices may be used at the edge of a coverage area of an access node to improve coverage and/or service, as well as in crowded areas having a high number of other wireless devices to increase the available throughput to the end-user wireless devices being relayed. However, latency overhead may cause service degradation (e.g., dropped packets) when backhaul connections to a communication network span numerous communication links and multiple wireless communication links. Accordingly, donor selection for a relay wireless device based on backhaul connection of the donor access point may increase quality of service for users of the communication network.